subsistence
suhb-SIS-tuhnss
/səbˈsɪs.təns/
The condition or state of having just enough food and resources to stay alive without excess surplus.
Implies surviving on minimum requirements, leaving zero or minimal margin for trade or commercial investment.
The story behind the word. From Late Latin 'subsistentia' (substance or existence), from 'subsistere' meaning 'to stand under' or support.
Word relationships
- sustenance: Sustenance refers to actual nourishing food, whereas subsistence refers to the economic condition of surviving.
- surplus: Surplus is production that exceeds basic needs and can be sold for financial gain.
Commonly confused with
- substance: Substance refers to material matter, while subsistence refers to surviving on minimal necessities.
Word family
- subsist (verb): To maintain basic life, especially on limited resources.
Collocations
- subsistence farming
- subsistence agriculture
- subsistence wage
- subsistence economy
Idioms & expressions
- bare subsistence
Example sentences
- "Peasants practiced subsistence farming, growing barely enough grain to feed their households." Socio-economic history
- "When bad weather struck, families living near subsistence level faced immediate food insecurity." Developmental economics
Memory hook
Sub (under) + sist (stand) = standing just under or at basic life support level. Subsist = stay standing.
When not to use
Do not use to describe profitable, highly commercialized market farming.
Fun facts
- The term 'subsistence crisis' was coined by French historians to describe pre-industrial famines caused by bad harvests.
Related words
Explore more words
subsist, self-sufficient, livelihood, scarcity, poverty, sustenance
Take your vocabulary further with LangBlitz
Our English vocabulary app: FSRS spaced repetition, 5,000+ curated words across 119 topic groups, CEFR A1 to C2. Explore your mastery with the beautiful Vocabulary World feature.